Locking device

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES GENERALLY TO LOCKING DEVICES AND MORE PARTICULARLY TO LOCKING DEVICES EMPLOYING A RETRACTABLE CABLE MEANS AND A HOUSING THEREFOR OF A SIZE WHICH ENABLES IT TO BE HELD IN THE HAND OF THE USER. THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION DISCLOSED HEREIN COMPRISES A RELATIVELY SMALL HOUSING OR CASING SUPPORTING A ROTARY REEL AND CABLE, ONE END OF THE CABLE BEING CONNECTED TO THE REEL AND THE OTHER FREE EXTREMITY THEREOF PROJECTING FROM THE HOUSING IN POSITION TO BE GRIPPED BY THE USER. A SPIRAL SPRING IN THE HOUSING IS BIASED TO EFFECT AUTOMATIC RETURN OF THE CABLE UPON THE REEL. A LOCK CONTROL LATCH MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOUSING IS ADAPTED FOR DETACHABLE COUPLING WITH THE FREE CABLE EXTREMITY.

Oct. 12, 1971 R. M. MUTHER v 3,611,760

LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1970 flZ- 5 a 35 3% 14 F 2 VIN; "-lilflS i.- 7

United States Patent 01 3,611,760 LOCKING DEVICE Richard M. Muther, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Muther Enterprises Inc., Northfield, Ill. Filed Jan. 12, 1970, Ser. No. 2,030 Int. Cl. Eb 73/00, 37/02 US. Cl. 70-58 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to locking devices and more particularly to locking devices employing a retractable cable means and a housing therefor of a size which enables it to be held in the hand of the user. The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein comprises a relatively small housing or casing supporting a rotary reel and cable, one end of the cable being connected to the reel and the other free extremity thereof projecting from the housing in position to be gripped by the user. A spiral spring in the housing is biased to effect automatic return of the cable upon the reel. A lock control latch means associated with the housing is adapted for detachable coupling with the free cable extremity.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In these active days of travel, passenger terminals, particularly air terminals, are crowded with travelers carrying luggage in the form of handbags, suitcases, briefcases and the like. While in the waiting room or lounge, it is common for travelers to place unchecked luggage temporarily in the space provided for such purposes, usually in the vicinity of a clockroom or coat rack. General similarity in appearance of hand luggage poses a real problem. It is not unusual for the traveler upon leaving the waiting room to inadvertently pick up hand luggage of another. A similar problem exists for example, in ski resorts. Skis, like luggage, are often substantially identical in appearance and are usually placed on racks or in snow drifts outside the ski lodge. In public ski areas, it is not only a question of inadvertent selection, but also the problem of theft, which must be guarded against. It is therefore, one of the important objects of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, relatively small and lightweight device which may be used to secure or tether portable objects such as luggage, skis and the like.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates a device as set forth above, in which a cable may be withdrawn from a small housing passed around a fixed object such as a vertical or horizontal frame member and then through an opening in the object to be carried, as for example the opening provided by a luggage handle. The free cable extremity may be secured to a lock controlled latch associated with the same housing.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a locking device as set forth above in which the cable may be of relatively small diameter, but of exceptional tensile and shear strength.

The present invention also contemplates a locking device of the type above mentioned having a very light weight cable housing of a size which makes possible for the device to be carried by the luggage handle or in the users pocket.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of a locking device of the type contemplated by the present invention, said device being shown in operative association with a piece of luggage;

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FIG. 2 is a plan view of the housing and associated parts shown in FIG. 1, with the upper half of the housing or casing removed and the latch member closed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, disclosing the latch member in its open position to permit the free extremity of the cable to be attached to, or detached from, said latch member; and,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detailed view similar to the right half of the disclosure in FIG. 3, with the latch membef in unlocked relation with respect to the combination lock mechanicm.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that the disclosed embodiment of the locking device contemplated hereby is designated generally by the numeral 10. The device 10 includes a housing or casing 12, comprised of an upper section 14 and a lower section 16. These sec- ,tjons may be held together in any suitable manner as, for example, by means of screws or rivets 18. When the two halves or sections 14 and 16 are secured together as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, two cavities are presented, one for accommodating a spring actuated reel mechanism designated generally by the numeral 20, and the other for accommodating a conventional combination lock designated generally by the numeral 22.

The reel mechanism 20 includes a reel member 24 for receiving a cable 26. One extremity of the cable 26 is provided with a latch member accommodating loop 26a, the opposite free extremity 26b thereof being fixed to the reel as illustrated in FIG. 2. The reel 24 is rotatable upon the outer periphery of an annular projection 28 extending from and formed integral with the under side of the housing section 14, FIG. 3.

As will be seen from FIG. 3, the reel 24 comprises a pair of axially spaced plate members or discs which are secured to each other in any suitable manner so as to rotate as a unit. The lower disc member (FIGS. 3 and 4) is formed with an annular flange 30 which houses or contains a spiral spring 32. The inner extremity 32a of the spring 32 is fixed within a transverse slot of a cylindrical protuberance 34 formed integral with and extending upwardly from the lower housing sections 16. The opposite outer extremity, 32b of the spring 32 is riveted to the flange 30, of the reel 24. The spring 32 is biased so as to urge the reel rotatably in a direction tending to retract the cable 26 into the housing 12.

The combination lock 22 may be of conventional design employing a plurality of rotary members 36 each bearing numerals from 0 to 9. A detailed description of the lock 22 is not necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention and, therefore, will not be described in detail. It will sufiice to state that the combination lock 22 is nested within a chamber 38 formed by the combined upper and lower housing sections 14 and 16 with the upper peripheral portions of the members 36 exposed for visual inspection and manual manipulation. The lock 32 carries a conventional, laterally shiftable lock member 40. When the member 40 occupies the shifted position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a latch member 42 has been closed said lock member 40 secures the latch member 42 in its closed or locked position. When the rotary members 36 have been rotated to a predetermined, previously set relation, a spring 44 causes the member 40 to be shifted to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in which position the latch member 42 is unlocked and free to be pivoted to the open position shown in FIG. 4. The latch member 42 is pivotally mounted at 46, with the housing 12. A recess 48 in the housing 12 permits free movement of the latch member between open and closed positions.

When the cable 26 has been retracted into the housing 12 under the influence of the spiral spring 32, the free extremity 26a will project beyond the housing in a convenient position to be manually gripped by the user. This projecting position of the extremity 26a is indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Assume, for example, that the locking device 10 is to be placed in use for securing a brief case 50 to a fixed vertical member 52 such as an upright frame section of a coat rack, or the vertical frame of a bench, chair or the like. The user sets the numerals on rotary members 36 in predetermined relative positions to open the lock 22 and thereby permit the latch member 42 to be shifted to the position shown in FIG. 4. By manually gripping the cable extremity loop 26a the cable 26 may be withdrawn from the reel 24 against the yieldable force exerted by the spiral spring 32. The free extremity 26a is passed through the opening beneath the handle 54 around the fixed object 52, and then interlocked with the open latch member 42. The latch member may then be closed to the position shown in FIG. 2, and the members 36 manipulated so as to close the lock 22 and thereby cause the spring 44 to move the lock member 40 into interlocking association with the latch member 42. If the locking device 10 is to be used for securing skis in place, the cable 26 may be wrapped around the skis and around a conveniently located fixed object. There are a wide variety of portable objects with which a locking device of the type contemplated hereby may be used.

The housing 12 may be in the form of relatively light weight, yet relatively strong plastic material. This housing may be kept to a size which will adapt the device for convenient manipulation by the users hand. The cable may be relatively small in diameter to assume compactness and yet, have the required tensile and shear strength for its intended purpose. Stainless steel cables of relatively small diameter are now readily available. In instances where desired, the locking device 12, when not in use, may be secured to the luggage handle. It is contemplated that the housing may be made in a wide variety of colors to match the object with which the device is to be used. When secured to the handle of luggage, the locking device may be a size comparable to name tags now in common use. A skier, for example, may carry the locking device, when not in use, in a pocket or attached to a garment belt, etc.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A locking device of the type described including a housing of a size adapted to be held in the hand of the user, said housing including adjacently spaced sidewall sections and edge wall sections cooperating therewith to provide spring and lock accommodating chamber means, at least one of said sidewall sections having opening means for accommodating limited peripheral portions of rotary, indicia supporting, combination lock elements, a cable accommodating reel in the chamber means of said housing, a cable of relatively small diameter supported by said reel, one extremity of the cable being attached to the reel and the opposite free extremity projecting exteriorly from an edge wall section of the housing in position to be gripped by the user when the cable is completely wound upon said reel, said free cable extremity having latch accommodating means, spiral spring means in said chamber means connected with said reel and biased so as to yieldably resist cable withdrawal and to effect automatic retraction of the cable by the reel upon release of said free extremity, shiftable latch means associated with said housing for detachably accommodating said free cable extremity, and lock means in said housing for controlling the shifting of said latch means, said lock means including a plurality of said positioned rotary, indicia supporting combination lock elements adjacently positioned with respect to each other and mounted within said chamber means with limited peripheral portions thereof projecting into the aforesaid opening means in the sidewall section of the housing to afford clear visibility thereof to the user.

2. A locking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reel and lock means are positioned in substantially the same plane within said housing.

3. A locking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the side and edge wall sections of said housing include a plurality of molded plastic parts presenting chambers for accommodating the reel spring and lock means.

4. A locking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shiftable latch means is in the nature of an arm pivoted at one extremity within the housing, the opposite extremity adapted to be shifted away from and in the general plane of said housing to detachably accommodate said free cable extremity.

5. A locking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing is relatively thin when compared with the width and length thereof.

6. A locking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said side and edge wall sections present an elongate relatively thin housing comprising a pair of abutting housing sections and fastener means securing said housing sections in abutting relation.

7. A locking device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the axis of the reel is substantially normal to the planes of the sidewall sections and the rotary indicia supporting combination lock elements have a common axis extending normal with respect to said reel axis.

8. A locking device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the reel and spiral spring are disposed about a common axis.

9. A locking device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said reel and spiral spring are disposed in side by side relation and are disposed about a common axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,163,852 6/1939 Pond -21 2,574,967 11/1951 Gossner 70-49 3,419,893 12/1968 Vahlstrom 70-24 FOREIGN PATENTS 689,828 4/ 1953 Great Britain 70-49 120,384 12/1947 Sweden 70-58 123,470 11/1948 Sweden '70-58 GEORGE F. MAUTZ, Primary Examiner E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 7027 

